Swag Rap is a Sub-Genre of Hip-Hop music and a sort-of descendant of Alternative Hip Hop. It's perhaps best described as rap's version of the Punk movement. The exact sound of Swag Rap varies, so it's really more of a scene than a sound. Noticeable characteristics include a DIY ethic and unconventional promotional tactics (often online, but not always), many Swag groups also use (fittingly) the term "swag", short for swagger and a synonym for "cool".
Artists:
- A$AP Rocky - "Purple Swag"
- Casey Veggies
- Childish Gambino
- Danny Brown
- Drake arguably started out in 2006 doing a version of this before he was signed by Lil Wayne and Young Money in 2009.
- Joey Bada$$ - Incredibly divisive rapper known for dissing mainstream acts and incorporating (some would say ripping off) 90s golden age rap.
- Joey Lo Flow - Got Rice?, of the Asian cultural pride variety.
- Kitty Pryde
- Kreayshawn - "Gucci Gucci"
- Lecs Luther - "Dia Dhuit"
- Lil B The "BasedGod" - "Ellen Degeneres"
- Lil B is the king of swag rap, easily serving as the Trope Codifier of the style. Soulja Boy only released "Pretty Boy Swag" AFTER his collaborations with the Based God. This is especially evident on "30 Thousand 100 Million", where Soulja Boy lifts Lil B's "word around town ____" device for an entire verse.
- Lil B is the king of swag rap, easily serving as the Trope Codifier of the style. Soulja Boy only released "Pretty Boy Swag" AFTER his collaborations with the Based God. This is especially evident on "30 Thousand 100 Million",
- Lil Ugly Mane, though with a strong bent towards Horrorcore.
- Mac Miller
- OFWGKTA - "Oldie"
- OF Affiliates
- RiFF RAFF - "Marc Jacobs"
- Robb Bank$
- Spaceghostpurrp
- Yung Lean (who combines this with Vaporwave
- Vladimir Koatchik (https://soundcloud.com/user-470075815)
- Yung God, who tends to be a blatant Lil B ripoff. Despite this, however, his Caillou freestyle has achieved infamy, mostly from people who think it's a LilB song.
- Of course, the genre is ripe for parody. The most notable examples come from YouTube user gmcfosho, known for such hits as "Rifle Burs" (complete with dubstep remix) and "IMDABES".
Video description: My lawyer said I was doing things that would violate my parole so I had to censor a few parts, BUT LUCKILY YOU CAN'T CENSOR SWAG! Shout out to Soulja boy, the best rapper dead or alive. It is because of him that I live life with my swag to the maximum
- Another YouTube group, Dormtainment, parodied it in the "Create A Rapper" with Hipster Rapper.
I'ma say "swag" a couple times, cause that's what people do now. Swag, swag, swag, swag [...] I do this for Tumblr.
